Voting-booth.



UNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

ERVIN HINTON, 0F STOCKVILLE, NEBRASKA.

VOTING-BOOTH.

Application filed December 30, 1908.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERVIN HINTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stockville, in the county of Frontier and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and useful Voting-Booth, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to voting booths and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and inexpensive device of this character capable of being readily attached to a window-casing or other suitable support and which may be quickly detached and compactly folded for transportation or shipment.

A further object is to provide a voting booth including spaced frames connected by a strip of fabric or other suitable material to form a closure, said frames being formed in sections to permit the device to be readily folded into a small compass when not in use.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efficiency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification :-F igure 1 is a perspective view of a voting booth constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the same attached to a window-casing. Fig.2 is a similar view showing the voting booth collapsed for transportation or shipment. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the shelf or table for use in connection with the booth. Fig. 4 is a similar view showing a diiferent manner of attaching the shelf or table to a window-casing. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved voting booth forming the subject matter of the present invention includes spaced upper and lower frames 5 and 6, preferably formed of metal and each comprising one or more sections pivotally united at 7 so as to permit the device to be com pactly folded for transportation or shipment. The side sections 8 of the upper frame Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 26, 1909. Serial No. 469,979.

5 are provided with inwardly extending arms 9 having depending fingers 10 adapted to enter correspondingly shaped sockets 11 formed. in the supporting brackets 12, the

latter being secured to the window-casing by screws or similar fastening devices 13. The end sections of the lower frame Gare also provided with inwardly extending arms 14 similar in construction to the arms 9 of the upper frame, the terminals of the arms 14 being bent laterally to produce spurs or pins 15 adapted to enter suitable openings formed in the window-casing to receive the same. The upper and lower walls of the booth are connected by a strip of fabric or other flexible material 16, which latter forms a closure for the booth and thus serves to house or shield the occupant of the booth when voting. If desired, however, the lower frame 6 may be dispensed with and the fabric closure 16 suspended from the upper frame. It will also be understood that the lower frame 6 may be substituted for the upper frame in which event, the brackets 12 will be dispensed with and the spurs 15 seated in openings in the casing, in the manner before described.

Slidably mounted on the arms 9 of the upper frame are rings 17 to which is connected a cord or string 18, there being a similar cord 19 connecting the intermediate portion of the string 18 with the intermediate section of the upper frame 5 and from which is suspended a curtain or partition 20 for dividing the booth into two stalls, thus to permit two persons to vote at the same time.

In connection with the booth there is employed a supporting shelf or table 21 preferably in the form of a flat stripof timber, to the lower face of which is secured transverse bars 22 having their free ends bent downwardly to form attaching fingers 23 adapted to enter the sockets of attaching brackets 24, similar in construction to the brackets shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. If desired, however, the brackets 24 may be dispensed with and suitable bars 25 substituted for the bars 22, and in which event openings will be formed in the window-cas ing for the reception of the terminals of the bars 25, as will be readily understood.

The booth being supported on the windowcasing in spaced relation to the floor, a voter may readily enter the booth through the bottom thereof, or by releasing the arms 9 and 14 on one side of the booth and swinging the adjacent sections of the frame laterally to open position. By attaching the booth to a window-casing the interior of the booth will be adequately illuminated by the light from the window, while the voter will be effectually housed and protected during the voting operation.

When the booth isnot in use, the latter may be compactly folded for transportation or shipment by folding the end sections 8 laterally on the pivots 7 against the intermediate sections of the supporting frames to the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in which position the fabric may be readily folded over said frames so that the device will occupy very little space.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings there is illustrated a modified form of invention in which the inner ends of the frames are provided with elongated slots26 for the reception of screws or similar fastening devices 27 so as to permit the attachment of the frames to window-casings of different widths.

While I have shown the booth attached to a window-casing, it is obvious that the same may be attached to a wall, ceiling, partition or other suitable support without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A voting booth comprising sectional upper and lower frames having inwardly extending arms, a flexible strip connecting said frames and forming the walls of the booth, rings carried by the arms of the upper frame, a cord connecting the rings, and a flexible partition strip extending transversely across the booth and having one end thereof secured to the adjacent'wall of the booth and its opposite end fastened to the cord.

2. A voting booth comprising upper and lower frames each consisting of movably connected sections, each frame being folddetachably engaging said terminal portions to hold the frame extended across the window but spaced therefrom, and a flexible strip suspended from the frame and co operating with the window-containing portion of the supporting structure to form a booth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witneses.

ERVIN HINTON. l/Vitnesses Gno. J. DOLD, C. M. Snronns. 

